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At experimental farm of M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha, India, an experiment was conducted to know the effect of nitrogen doses and mulching on nutrient status, yield and economics of maize during the rabi season of 2021-22. The hybrid maize seed (Hybrid variety 4226) was sown in a spilt plot design with three levels of mulching in main plot and four doses of nitrogen in sub-plot. The grain yield, nutrient composition of maize seeds and stover, N, P, K status of pre-harvest soil were increased significantly in combination of nitrogen and mulching. Application of straw mulch significantly increased the N content of grain and stover as well as the N uptake by grain and stover as compared to no mulch treatment. It also influenced the protein content of seeds. Application of higher dose of N significantly increased the N content of grain and stover as well as the N uptake by grain and stover over the control and also influenced the NPK status of soil and protein content of the seeds. Maximum values of grain and stover yield (7.26 and 9.21t ha-1 respectively) were recorded from 5 t ha-1mulchand 150% RDN (N:P2O5:K2O = 120:60:60) plot. Whereas this interaction effect (5 t ha-1 and 150% RDN) significantly increased the N content of seeds (1.40 %), stover (0.47 %), and protein content of seeds (8.76 %). After decomposition of straw mulch in soil with additional application of nitrogen increased the available N (195.43 kg ha-1) over low level of nitrogen dose with no mulching. The combined application of mulching @ 5 t ha-1 with 150% RDN resulted highest net return (₹76,365/- ha-1) with maximum B:C ratio (1.29).

Maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation is catching up in India to fulfil the future demand. Odisha is a non-traditional state for maize cultivation; however, it has been intensified in the state during last one and half decades. As maize is a wide spaced crop, the inter row space allows to grow the short statured crops such as legumes. Maize - legume intercropping system is one of the most important intercropping systems followed worldwide. In this regard, a field experiment on paired row maize intercropping with legumes, namely, groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and green gram (Vigna radiata L.) was carried out at Agronomy Research Farm of the Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha during rabi season of 2020. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). There were nine treatments with pure stands of maize, groundnut and green gram and their mixed stand which were replicated thrice. The results revealed that the plant height at harvest and number of leaves of maize at 90 days after sowing (DAS) did not differ by cropping systems, whereas sole maize resulted in significantly higher dry matter production at all the growth stages and the same treatment registered significantly more leaf are index at 60 DAS. The yield attributes such as number of cobs/plant, cob length, number of rows/cob, number of grains/row, 100 grain weight and grain weight/cob remained on par, but number of grains/cob and grain weight per plant were significantly higher with sole maize than intercropped maize. The treatment comprised of maize + groundnut (2:3) intercropping system registered the highest net returns of Rs. 83590/ha. The findings suggested that in south Odisha conditions, intercropping maize + groundnut (2:3) can be adopted for better net return and agricultural sustainability compared to sole maize cultivation.

Agricultural sustainability is of foremost importance for maintaining high food production. Irresponsible resource use not only negatively affects agroecology, but also reduces the economic profitability of the production system. Among different resources, soil is one of the most vital resources of agriculture. Soil fertility is the key to achieve high crop productivity. Maintaining soil fertility and soil health requires conscious management effort to avoid excessive nutrient loss, sustain organic carbon content, and minimize soil contamination. Though the use of chemical fertilizers have successfully improved crop production, its integration with organic manures and other bioinoculants helps in improving nutrient use efficiency, improves soil health and to some extent ameliorates some of the constraints associated with excessive fertilizer application. In addition to nutrient supplementation, bioinoculants have other beneficial effects such as plant growth-promoting activity, nutrient mobilization and solubilization, soil decontamination and/or detoxification, etc. During the present time, high energy based chemical inputs also caused havoc to agriculture because of the ill effects of global warming and climate change. Under the consequences of climate change, the use of bioinputs may be considered as a suitable mitigation option. Bioinoculants, as a concept, is not something new to agricultural science, however; it is one of the areas where consistent innovations have been made. Understanding the role of bioinoculants, the scope of their use, and analysing their performance in various environments are key to the successful adaptation of this technology in agriculture.

Plant growth regulators are the naturally extracted or synthesised compounds which are used in smaller quantity to modify the hormonal activity in agricultural and horticultural crops. Though there effect was not totally revealed there was some significant works carried out to know the effect of growth regulators on agronomic crops they are now using in wide range of crops to alter different parameters such as plant height, canopy development, effective branching, flower imitation and improving yield. They also play a key role in dryland farming as some of the plant growth regulators are used in stress tolerance of the crops. Few research works are carried to know the effect of major plant growth regulators on cereals and pulses. The plant growth regulators like auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and ethephon are the majorly used plant growth regulators in cereals and pulses to obtain optimum plant growth and to improve the yields.

The experiment was conducted during 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 at farmers’ field situated at Binuria village (23 o40’N and 87 o37’E) of Birbhum district of West Bengal under the red and lateritic belt of West Bengal.The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replication and twelve treatments in both during kharif and boro season. The plot size was 5m x 4m and the treatment combinations are T1-N80P40K40Zn25S20, T2-N40P40K40Zn25S20, T3-N0P40K40Zn25S20, T4-N80P20K40Zn25S20, T5-N80P0K40Zn25S20, T6-N80P40K20Zn25S20, T7-N80P40K0Zn25S20, T8-N80P40K40Zn12.5S20, T9-N80P40K40Zn0S20, T10-N80P40K40Zn25S10, T-11,N80P40K40Zn25S0 and T12 -Control where as in boro season the treatment combinations are T1-N120P60K60Zn25S20, T2-N60K60Zn25S20, T3-N0K60Zn25S20,T4-N120P30K60Zn25S20,T5-N120P0K60Zn25S20, T6-N120P60K30Zn25S20, T7 N120P60K0Zn25S20, T8-N120P60K60Zn12.5S20,T9-N120P60K60Zn0S20,T10-N120P60K60Zn25S10,T11-N120P60K60Zn25S0, and T12- Control. The high yielding varieties (HYV) rice during Kharif season was MTU 7029 (Swarna) and hybrid variety used in Boro season was Arize 6444 GOLD. The study concludes that application of N80P40K40Zn25S20 (T1) during kharif and N120P60K60Zn25S20 (T1) in boro season during the two season of experimentation was essential for improving growth attributes, yield components and productivity of high yielding variety (HYV) and hybrid rice. The treatments positively influenced the crop efficiency factors, improved physico-chemical properties and fertility status of the soil and paid highest gross and net returns from the rice cultivation. The study suggests the application of ample dose of fertilizer for better growth, higher productivity, profit and sustainability of rice in the lateritic soil of west Bengal.

Climate change implies some alterations in the natural system and as a result, both the human being and natural system face challenges. The cumulative effect of all abnormalities in climatic parameters causes hindrances to plants also. Perhaps the best test within recent memory as transformative biologists is to foresee how to plant populaces will react to future climatic conditions forced by environmental change. Both hypothetical and trial proof show that, in light of natural change, populaces may move to more good territories, alter their phenotype through versatility, or adjust to the new ecological conditions from standing hereditary variety. In the event that atmosphere zone limits move as quickly as anticipated by even traditionalist environmental change models, numerous species probably won’t have the option to follow their climatic optima. Thus, microevolution through normal choice is required to be significant for species to continue in their present distributional extents. The negative impact of climatic variation is prominent on the plants and human civilization is, directly and indirectly, dependent on plant kingdom. The climatic aberration adversely effects on crop growth processes and thus agricultural productivity is altered which may appear as a menace to food security. As per some anticipated reports, agricultural production is viewed as the most imperiled movement antagonistically influenced by climate changes. In this regard, focus can be given to adaptation options for agricultural sustainability and food security.

The abiotic stresses such as unfavorable temperature, drought, flood, salinity, and heavy metal stress are considered as major factors causing a huge impression on crop growth and productivity. The abiotic stresses can reduce as much as 50% of benefits for some important crops in the world through altering the physiological, morphological, biochemical, and molecular process of plants. Therefore, escape, avoidance, and tolerance mechanisms are very important for plants to survive against abiotic stresses. Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are considered as wild plant species of the same genus (mostly with the same gene pool) of a crop, which play a vital role in the development of crop species for various hostile environments. The gene pool CWRs wild relatives is considered in the choice of crops for today, which is simply a selection from vast. The CWRs helped a lot in the domestication of selected species of present day’s crops and played a vital role in feeding the human civilization. Under the present scenario of climate change, CWRs have got a vital dimension in crop improvement for combatting the adverse effects of climatic threats. Therefore, CWRs became more useful in molecular breeding for the sustainability of crop production in the modern era of climate change. In the chapter, we have been discussed on the wild relatives of plants as sources for the development of abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

Rice is the lifeline for more than half of the world population, and in India, in view of its huge demand in the country, farmers adopt a rice–rice cropping system where the irrigation facility is available. As rice is a nutrient-exhausting crop, sustainable productivity of rice–rice cropping system greatly depends on appropriate nutrient management in accordance with the inherent soil fertility. The application of an ample dose of fertilizer is the key factor for maintaining sustainable rice yields and nutrient balance of the soil. Considering the above facts, an experiment was conducted on nutrient management in a rice–rice cropping system at the university farm of Visva-Bharati, situated in a sub-tropical climate under the red and lateritic belt of the western part of West Bengal, India, during two consecutive years (2014–2016). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Completely Block Design with 12 treatments and three replications, with different rates of N:P:K:Zn:S application in both of the growing seasons, namely, kharif and Boro. The recommended (ample) dose of nutrients was 80:40:40:25:20 and 120:60:60:25:20 kg ha−1 of N:P2O5:K2O:Zn:S in the Kharif and Boro season, respectively. A high yielding variety, named MTU 7029, and a hybrid, Arize 6444 GOLD, were taken in the Kharif and Boro seasons, respectively. The results clearly indicated that the application of a recommended dose of nutrients showed its superiority over the control (no fertilizer application) in the expression of growth characters, yield attributes, yields, and nutrient uptake of Kharif as well as Boro rice. Out of the all treatments, the best result was found in the treatment where the ample dose of nutrients was applied, resulting in maximum grain yield in both the Kharif (5.6 t ha−1) and Boro (6.6 t ha−1) season. The corresponding yield attributes for the same treatment in the Kharif (panicles m−2: 247.9, grains panicle−1: 132.0, spikelets panicle−1: 149.6, test weight: 23.8 g, and panicle length: 30.6 cm) and Boro (panicles m−2: 281.6, grains panicle−1: 142.7, spikelets panicle−1: 157.2, test weight: 24.8 g, and panicle length: 32.8 cm) season explained the maximum yield in this treatment. Further, a reduction or omission of individual nutrients adversely impacted on the above traits and resulted in a negative balance of the respective nutrients. The study concluded that the application of a recommended dose of nutrients was essential for proper nutrient balance and sustainable yields in the rice–rice cropping system.

Nutrient management is critical for rice farming because the crop is grown under diverse conditions, and in most cases, the existing nutrient management practices fail to achieve an attainable yield target. During recent years site specific nutrient management gained importance for a target yield with maximum nutrient use efficiency. Sufficient research work has not been carried out in this direction so far in the rice–rice–pulse (black gram) sequential cropping system under the red and lateritic belt of West Bengal, India. A multi-locational field experiment was conducted from July 2013 to June 2015 at three different locations, namely, Guskara (Burdwan district) and Benuriya (Birbhum district) villages in farmers’ fields and at the university farm of Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India. The performance of nutrients was tested by providing ample doses of N, P, K, S, and Zn compared to the omission of these nutrients. The growth parameters, such as crop biomass production, leaf area index, and number of tillers, and yield attributes and yield were influenced by nutrient management treatments. Application of 100% of N, P, K, S, and Zn resulted in its superiority to other nutrient management options studied, and a similar trend was also noted with the treatment in the expression of nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and nutrient response (NR). The available N, P, K, S, and Zn contents in soil increased steadily due to the increase in fertilizer application. The study concluded that optimization of NPK in the rice–rice–pulse cropping system on target yield along with need-based S and Zn application was beneficial for higher productivity.

An abundance of metabolomics information on the plant stress reactions has been collected and countless metabolic pathways are proposed to be directed in different abiotic stresses. Be that as it may, there are fewer evidences that metabolites and pathways tentatively demonstrated to work in abiotic stress resilience. A profile of metabolites doesn’t predict precisely whether there is any related metabolic pathway which can be upregulated or downregulated since both the responses can prompt the buildup of a metabolite. Those may be illuminated by contrasting the information on the metabolomics that can be derived from either transcriptomic or proteomic or both investigation and exercises of explicit proteins. Quality to metabolite administrative systems of glucosinolate blend and essential digestion under sulfur-and nitrogen-restricted conditions were likewise finished up. Furthermore, the guidelines of the information on the omics pathway in different abiotic stresses have been summerized. The examinations utilizing proteomics along with secretomics and metabolomics are moderately uncommon in the reaction field of plant stress. A portion of the varieties communicated as alterations of cytogenetical and phenotypical in plants was recovered from the culture by callus tissue. Cell culture and tissue culture conditions can limit or boost the degree of somaclonal varieties. Throughout the years, numerous varieties as changes in the genomes of plants have been normally advanced.

A growing worldwide population, urbanization and industrialization are expanding the pace of transformation of arable land into no-man’s land. Providing food to an ever-expanding populace is perhaps the greatest test that agriculturalists and plant researchers are now facing. Ecological anxieties make this circumstance much graver. In spite of the enlistment of a few resilience components, touchy plants regularly neglect to make due under natural limits. New mechanical methodologies are basic. Customary rearing techniques have a restricted potential to improve plant genomes against ecological pressure. As of late, hereditary building has contributed hugely to the advancement of hereditarily altered assortments of various harvests, for example, cotton, maize, rice, canola and soybean. The distinguishing proof of pressure responsive qualities and their resulting introgression or overexpression inside delicate yield species is presently being broadly done by plant researchers. The design of significant resilience pathways, similar to cell reinforcement chemicals, osmolyte amassing, layer limited transporters for effective compartmentation of harmful particles and aggregation of fundamental components and opposition against irritations or microorganisms is additionally a territory that has been seriously investigated. In this chapter, the role of microbial biotechnology for mitigation of heat stress in plants are discussed.

The field experiment was carried out at the farmer’s field in Chella Kamarpara village, Chella G.P, Chella Mouza of Illambazar Block, Birbhum, West Bengal which is situated at 23o 37.374’latitude and 87o37.170’E longitudes with an average altitude of 58.9 m above mean sea level under sub-humid, sub-tropical belt under the prevailing climatic conditions of West Bengal during the Kharif season of 2013. The experiment consisted of the five levels of nutrient management i.e., N1: State recommendation (150:75:75), N2: Nutrient expert (NE) recommendation (120:34:51), N3: Farmers practices (80:40:40), and N4: Basal application of 50:75:75 with split N application on basis of LCC (leaf colour chart), N5:control and two level of varieties viz. V1: Sona and V2: Rajkumar, the total number of treatment combinations are ten, which were replicated thrice and was laid out in factorial randomized block design (FRBD). To evaluate the effect of nutrient management on the growth, productivity and economics of hybrid maize cultivation. Nutrient management has played an important role in achieving sustainability of grain production. The chemical fertilizer consumption coupled with their limited production, fertilizer cost, soil health and pollution have given rise to interest in precision nutrient management tools. It was the found that the Growth, productivity, nutrient uptake and economics of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by precision nutrient management which was significantly affected by different level of nutrient management and varieties. Whereas, LCC based application of fertilizer gave better result than all other treatment but it was also statistically at par with Nutrient expert based recommendation.

Finger millets ((Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn) is one of the important small millets cultivated in India under subsistence farming in drylands. Though it is low demanding crop energy involvement is there in profitable raising of finger millet. Increase in energy use in agriculture production at a faster rate in India because of mechanization and enhancing chemical usage. To study the energy use in finger millet cultivation, a field trail was conducted at Bagusala Farm of M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and ten treatments. The treatment comprises of T1: control, T2: FYM @ 4 t ha−1,T3: FYM @ 8 t ha−1, T4: 100% RDF (40:20:20 kg ha−1 of N: P2O5: K2O), T5: 50% RDF + 4 t FYM, T6, 75% RDF + 2 t FYM, T7: FYM 4 t ha−1 + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1, T8: FYM 8 t ha−1 + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1, T9: 50% RDF + 4 t FYM + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1 and T10: 75% RDF + 2 t FYM + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1. The results revealed that all the energy parameters except energy productivity were significantly influenced by different treatments. The highest maximum energy input, gross energy output, net energy and energy intensity in term of economics were recorded maximum with application of 100% RDF and maximum energy use efficiency and energy productivity was noticed with application of FYM 8 t ha−1 + Azospirillum.

Crop geometry is an important factor to achieve higher production by better utilization of resources and in turn higher production of photosynthates. The ideal crop geometry can assure healthy and uniform stand in the main field and ensure higher productivity. Proper age of seedlings has a tremendous influence on the tiller production, grain formation and other yield contributing characteristics. In view of the above, a field experiment was conducted during kharif season (June to October) of 2018 at Bagusala Farm (23o39’ N latitude, 87o42’ E longitude) of M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha to find out the effect of crop geometry and age of seedlings on yield attributing characters, yield and nutrient uptake of finger millet (cv. Vakula) in sandy loam soil. The experiment revealed that transplanting of 20 days old seedlings at 25 cm x 25 cm spacing registered superior performance in expression of yield attributes like effective tillers m−2, number of grain ear head−1, number of fingers ear head−1, test weight and length of the fingers; grain and straw yield and nutrient uptake. It may be concluded that to obtain higher productivity of finger millet during kharif season in sandy loam soils of south Odisha, 20 days old seedlings may be transplanted with a spacing of 25 cm × 25 cm.

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2018 at Bagusala Farm, of M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha to study the effect of integrated nutrient management in finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn) on yield attributes, productivity and nutrient uptake under south Odisha conditions. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with ten treatments and replicated thrice. The treatment combinations are T1, control,T2, FYM @ 4 t ha−1, T3 FYM @ 8 t ha−1, T4, 100% RDF (40:20:20 - N: P2O5: K2O kg ha−1), T5, 50% RDF + 4 t FYM, T6, 75% RDF + 2 t FYM, T7, FYM 4 t ha−1+ Azospirillum @ 5 kg ha−1, T8, FYM 8 t ha−1 + Azospirillum @ 5 kg ha−1, T9, 50% RDF + 4 t FYM + Azospirillum @ 5 kg ha−1, T10, 75% RDF + 2 t FYM + Azospirillum @ 5 kg ha−1. Application of 100% RDF resulted in the highest yield components like number of effective tillers m−2, number of grains ear head−1, number of fingers ear head−1, test weight and length of fingers which remained statistically at par with the application of chemical fertilizers along with the FYM and Azospirillum (T10). The highest grain yield, straw yield and biological yield were achieved from the treatment with 100% RDF which was followed by application of 75% RDF + 2 t FYM + Azospirillum (T10) and 75% RDF + 2 t FYM (T6). However, the lowest values yield attributes and yields were recorded in control (no nutrients). Total nutrient (NPK) uptake by finger millet differed and it was found that application of 100% RDF recorded significantly higher nutrient uptake than other treatments. The lowest uptake of N, P and K was recorded in absolute control treatment.